We recently connected with 2AM Ricky and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, 2AM thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My new album, “Listen If You’re Lonely” is not only some of my most vulnerable work, but the most meaningful.

Listen If You’re Lonely is a musical exploration of mental health, relationships, and the daily realities as a black masculine-presenting person. Created with the intent of sparking necessary yet controversial conversations, the album opens the world to the realities of those masculine presenting, within life, relationships, and the nuanced disparities they face within the mental health and social realm. With topics including dating, spirituality, domestic violence / IPV, sexuality, and interpersonal growth, I wanted to shed light from a perspective that is often silenced. Through the album, I’ve been able to continue to educate, impact and inspire the world on the realities of black men and those masculine presenting within the queer community. I created keynote lectures and workshops that I’ve traveled to several conferences and universities educating students, community leaders, and industry professionals on the importance of mental health, transmasculine awareness, and encouraging therapy for BIPOC LGBTQ+ communities.

2AM , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As an advocate for the LGBTQ community and an openly transgender rapper, my mission is to shift hip-hop into a more inclusive culture, one song and conversation at a time. Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, my music career began in 2016 with the release of my mixtape, “Hiatus”, a project in dedication to Hesakahi McCoy, my best friend who was tragically murdered on the campus of North Carolina Central University. Through the album, I was able to not only tell the story of what happened to him, but build visibility around his case. Seeing how my music influenced others to seek justice for him helped me to understand that I was called not only to create great art, but to make a great impact.

In 2021, I became the First Black Transgender Male Artist to land #1 on any music chart, with my single “Whatchu On (ft. CeCe Peniston)” peaking at #1 on the LGBT Urban Charts for 10 weeks. I also have several sync placements and was the first Trans Man to grace the cover of Obvious Magazine in the 2022 Fashion Edition. Navigating the music industry as a trans creative hasn’t been easy, and finding safe spaces and genuine allyship has come with many obstacles. After experiencing discrimination by industry professionals who not only attempted to steal my craft but utilize my gender identity to negatively impact my career, I vowed to not only protect myself, but others who may have similar experiences. Since then, I’ve become known for utilizing my platform for the uplifting of marginalized communities and trans awareness while collaborating in the brand strategy, creative direction and artist development of queer and black female creatives. I also provide inclusion and harm reduction education, helping industry professionals, educators, and community leaders worldwide to define language and best practices for transgender healthcare, intersectionality, inclusive branding, wellness for transmen, diversity in marketing, and mental health within the music industry.

I believe that being an artist and public figure is more than having influence, it’s using what makes you influential to make an impact. That’s why whether I’m on the stage or behind the scenes, my focus is always on the people that my work touches and the stories that shape their lives.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most reward aspect of being an artist is being able to connect with my fans and seeing the way they embrace my creativity. To me, the Deuce Crew (my fanbase) is more than a support system, it’s a family of people who share common experiences, feelings, and ultimately, their love for music. Whether it’s a message sent, a random person wanting a photo or hug in public, or a kid who has a story of how I inspired them – they all make the hard work worth it!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

A lot of people tend to forget the human aspect of being an artist and that, on the other side of the mic, is a regular person just like them. Things like social media can create unrealistic expectations and add a pressure on to creatives to work non-stop in order to meet the supply and demand needs of their supporters. Creatives need mental health time and space to enjoy life, too.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.2amricky.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/2amricky
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/2amricky/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/2amricky
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3VYlCVoVqqnWn6Cz0pi1HM?si=KgKHFNUkQUyrAGdCgw6apA

Image Credits
Shutter Geeks Productions, Joshua Pegues